Yesterday, I decided to walk from SoHo to the Brooklyn Museum of Art for the Spike Lee: Creative Sources exhibit that closes this weekend. As the title suggests, the exhibit focuses on cultural icons and references that have influenced Spike Lee’s movie-making efforts rather than on the movies themselves. It fit nicely into my current Spike Lee living-room film festival.

Having been in New York City for the better part of a week, I decided to return to Brooklyn this afternoon for a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Some 200 other people joined me in what turned out to be a rather lackluster demonstration, which made me wonder if after four months, the pro-Palestinian movement has finally hit a wall.

When I arrived, I spoke briefly with a senior police officer, asking whether a march was planned. He wasn’t sure, but he acknowledged that the turnout was low, speculating that the group may have temporarily “lost” its social media page. He then said that whether there is a march or not does not really matter because the police just sort of go with the flow these days. Obviously I am not in Brooklyn every weekend, but his lackadaisical attitude may reflect a decrease in the size and ferocity of the demonstrations.

After 45 minutes of the same-old chants, I decided to explore the surrounding neighborhood, walking up Washington Avenue, which is a street lined with small restaurants, bodegas, beauty salons, and dry cleaners. After 30 minutes, I reversed course, headed back to the demonstration. In my absence, something had happened because I found the police on bicycles surrounding six or seven demonstrators who were being detained—presumably under arrest.

I asked what had happened and was told by one demonstrator that there had been some pushing and shoving, but nothing else.

Members of the National Lawyer Guild were out in force. Several yelled to those being detained, asking for contact information and whether they had or needed lawyers.

One by one, those being detained were loaded into a police transport wagon. One detainee apparently suffered a cut to her forehead, which was smeared with blood. The crowd demanded that she receive medical attention. After a few minutes, an ambulance arrived.

The portion of the demonstration I witnessed was quite anodyne in spirit, which is why I decided to explore the surrounding neighborhood. I couldn’t help but wonder how the detainees could have possibly put themselves in a position that would warrant arrest. The police stood largely off to the sides; some managed the traffic on Eastern Boulevard while others chatted with each other. Did those under arrest come to the demonstration hoping to be arrested—some sort of badge of honor?

I obviously can’t speak for the detainees, but as I headed to the subway, I saw a demonstrator with a wild-eyed countenance trying to push a senior officer’s ‘buttons’—at least that is how I read the situation. The officer eyed the demonstrator, then took two step backs, and said something to the effect of, “I just stepped back. You can end this right now and just walk away.” Maybe the guy wasn’t so “wild-eyed,” because that is exactly what he did, although he did try to engage several officers as he departed.

Moments before, a pro-Israeli demonstrator who was waving an Israeli flag ran toward the pro-Palestinian demonstrators, and then darted back to the other side of the boulevard. A couple of pro-Palestinian demonstrators chased after him, and then several cops intervened. After calming the situation, one of the police officers spoke to the pro-Israeli demonstrator, suggesting that he go home for his own safety. Like the wild-eyed man who confronted the senior police officer, the pro-Israeli demonstrator reluctantly headed away from the scene.

These incidents demonstrate that even though most demonstrators are peaceful, the demonstrations are a potential powder keg. At any moment, violence could erupt.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]

Being detained or questioned by the police does not imply guilt of a crime or that anyone acted violently. Those pictured are deemed innocent until proven guilty in a court of the law. While the police appear to have arrested the individuals in police custody, it is not clear whether the individuals were simply detained for questioning or arrested.

Copyright 2024, Jack B. Siegel. All Rights Reserved. Do Not Alter, Copy, Display, Distribute, Download, Duplicate, or Reproduce Without the Prior Written Consent of the Copyright Holder.